Agreements (By Madoka)
There are two main agreements that are currently being discussed between the EU and Japan. The first is the Free Trade Agreement, which is an economic partnership that reduces trade barriers. H.E. Mr. Isticioaia-Budura explained to us that this agreement would bring significant benefits to both the EU and Japan, with increased trade and job creation.
The Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA) is a political agreement between the EU and Japan. H.E. Mr. Isticioaia-Budura himself acted as chief negotiator for this agreement in the early stages of the foundation of this agreement in his capacity as Managing Director and Head of the Asia and Pacific Department at the European External Action Service in Brussels. H.E. Mr. Isticioaia-Budura commented that this agreement is “unusual”, as it is a “strategic agreement”. He taught us that there are two important factors of a strategic agreement. Firstly, the agreement creates possibilities of cooperation in the long term. He explained that when countries welcome each other as friends, they are to “see you as a friend for a long time to come.” The second factor of a strategic agreement is that it impacts not only those involved but also many others. “A strategic agreement is simple but real,” he told us, “and beyond bilateral”. The cooperation between Japan and the EU will form values and results for many other countries, especially due to the globalized world we live in today. H.E. Mr. Isticioaia-Budura mentioned that he hopes such agreements will bring “benefits for as many [other countries] as possible”, and that we can “go together hand in hand” to “[share] our friendship”.

The ‘Peace-Making Missions’ and its ‘Driving Force’ (By Kurumi)
Prior to obtaining its current name of “EU”, the economic-political union was known as the regional organisation “European Economic Community (EEC)”, which aimed to ensure economic integration. As the war in Europe during both World War I and II rose from the development of steel that were utilized to produce guns, the European politicians at the time aimed to “share basic interests in the economic field”, as they figured that war could potentially be avoided “by creating a common interest”. Thus, by raising ‘peace’ as a central value, the EEC and the later formed EU (in 1993) aimed to work not only by observing solely on the economic and political framework, but in fact, the union has been undergoing ‘peace-making missions’ through shared interest in the economic and political fields. H.E. Mr. Isticioaia-Budura mentioned that the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Abe Shinzō, had “spoken highly of the [EU, as a] proactive contributor of peace”. He explained that particularly since 1999, the EU has been actively engaged in the dispatch of common security and defence missions worldwide, to assist in places under crises. In recent years, the European Union has been working on crisis management, particularly in Africa where one of the aims has been to aid nations by assuring safety and security of shipping.. In Somalia, for instance, the anti-piracy European Union Naval Force Operation Atalanta has been securing safety in the Somali coastal areas.. Through increased cooperation with Japan, H.E. Mr. Isticioaia-Budura mentioned that he hopes to “consolidate justice” by working more closely with the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF).
When asked what the ‘driving force’ of the union is, he commented that the member-states of the EU maintain a “common stance” (which is ensured by the membership conditions presented in the Copenhagen Criteria) and that every member-state “respects the rules” set by the EU. The key, he said is to “make dialogue” and “negotiate, not pacify”.